This process involves using a Linux Boot CD, an iPod Mini (4GB), and a local Hard disk! It was tested with a friends nuked iPod Mini. You have to follow these instructions EXACTLY. If you are worried about erasing your personal local PC Hard disk along the way, take it out and use another disk or make use of a test-PC you may have etc.. this process should only touch your local HD with, but if you make a typo you can accidently write ipod and iphone firmware for your own local HD and that would render your pc USELESS! OK!? I also hope I wrote this up proper.. I've re-read it a few times! Also, I guess this process is the opposite of your warranty or somein.
This method may be tested with: iPod Mini 4GB WINDOWS version using USB connection, Knoppix Live CD v3.4, Windows 2000 SP4, Pentium 3-500 PC.
NOTE! - This process has been tested utilizing a USB connection, I have not seen the fire wire connection and for that reason the majority of this document would be irrelevant for that connection type!
NOTE! - The MAC iPod Mini is slightly different (disk structure is 3 partitions rather than 2), and since i haven't even seen a Mac iPod no below pertains to a Mac iPod!
NOTE! - This method has been tested having a 4GB iPod Mini. Larger size Mini's should also work since we are not specifying a size for the 2nd partition, but that is untested OK!.
Have some fun!
Problem
iPod appears nuked, only shows folder icon and ! on its LCD and is uncountable under windows? (running iPod Updater just does nothing - does not even detect these devices as an ipod!)
This is likely because of complete loss of Hard disk boot sector, structure and areas.
Basics
iPod structure: (WINDOWS iPod Mini version)
Hard disk (4GB) -> Partition 1 = 32MB for Operating-system -> Partition 2 = ~4GB (4161536MB?) for User Data (FAT32 file system)
Boot sequence: (?)
Arm ARM7TDMI CPU init -> Execute ROM init and code -> Boots HD Boot Sector -> Boots HD Partition 1 (Operating-system, Arm code) -> System Up!
Requirements
- iPod Mini (tested : 4GB UK model) - iPod Updater software (tested : 2005-03-23) - Resource Hacker program (v3.4.) - Knoppix Live CD Linux v3.4 or later (other Linux versions would abviously work, I suppose you'll need kernel 2.4.x, dd, mkfs.x, fdisk etc) - .. adventurer's spirit hey!
The process
Firstly, you need to extract the firmware binary file out of the iPod Updater program. Use Resource Hacker under Windows, open the ipod Updater exe file, open the FIRM folder. Now you have to open the IDR_FIRMWARE-3.2.5 folder, after which choose the 1033 file. Now extract this resource as a binary file to somewhere on your local HD (eg: c:mini325.bin).
Shutdown windows.
Switch off PC.
Plug in your iPod Mini. (tested : USB connection)
Boot your computer out of your Knoppix Linux Live CD.
Once Linux is up and booted, it will have mounted your local HD, probably as hda1. I would mount it manually anyway!
Open a Terminal session, enter root user with "su -", you ought to have: ~Knoppix[root[]|]$: (or something of that nature).
Mount the local HD
Create a local mount point directory (in places you will access your local HD) mkdir /mnt/localhd
Mount the local HD: (NTFS drives, windows xp, 2000 etc) mount -t ntfs /dev/hda1 /mnt/localhd
Mount the local HD: (FAT32 drives, windows 98, me) mount -t vfat /dev/hda1 /mnt/localhd
Perform a directory listing to check on contents of the local HD: cd /mnt/localhd ls -la
You should see "mini325.bin", your ipod mini firmware! (or even the file you named it!)
Obviously, should you stored the firmware on a slave HD, you have to mount that instead. Ultimately of the day you need access towards the firmware binary file.
Prepare your iPod Mini
Your iPod Mini should have attached like a fake scsi device /dev/sda.
To check this, "more /dev/sda" should show it's there. (Ctrl C to stop moreing)
Now we need to prepare the disk stucture on ipod and iphone:
fdisk /dev/sda
Use "p" to print the current disk structure, it ought to be blank! no partitions! (if there are partitions then you are in unchartered terriroty as well as perhaps should delete all of them - untested!)
Now we have to make two new partitions, one for that boot area, one for the user data.
Follow exactly: explanations are in curly brackets, do not type these
setup first partition, 32 MB in size n p 1 32M
setup second partition, the rest of the hard disk n p 2
change type of partition 1 to , no format t 1
change type of partition 2 to b, ie: FAT32 t 2 b
show partition layout, should be two partitions now p
write partition layout to the iPod w
quit fdisk back to command prompt once complete q
You need to now be back to the good ol' ~Knoppix[root[]|]$: prompt. (or similar!)
Format Partition 2
In the command prompt:
mkfs.vfat -F 32 -n "name" /dev/sda2
This will format the next partition of the iPod, and give it a volume name "name".
After this you are returned towards the command prompt ~Knoppix[root[]|]$: etc.
Write Firmware to Partition 1
In the command prompt:
dd if=/mnt/localhd/mini325.bin of=/dev/sda1
This will write the input file mini325.bin from your localhd mount to the 1st partition of the ipod mini (the partition for that operating-system).
This might take a few moments, you will be returned to the command prompt when complete!
Mount your iPod under Linux
Out of curiosity, mount the 2nd partition of the iPod to check on it's ok!
mkdir /mnt/myipod mount -t vfat /dev/sda2 /mnt/myipod cd /mnt/myipod ls -la
Tthere shouldn't be files, however it should mount ok like every other fat32 disk!
Shutdown Linux and turn off your pc!
Unplug your iPod Mini from your computer.
Switch the ipod on, it should require you to plug into your mains power!
Plug in power, switch power on, iPod will boot up like every other booting computer, complete with loading progress bar and screen refresh . Following this, you should be able to select language and make use of iPod again!
Next - ditch i-tunes because it is a demon and use Anapod or Gnupod or something and enjoy your iPod while you should! Free...
Thank heavens for Linux eh!! and thank heavens for people attempting to stick linux their pods, reading up on that is where I figured all this stuff out.
Forgotten Credits - these guys did all of the hard work - Alan Donovan, Pedro Diaz. Without them this would not have access to been very easy!
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